Coroner: Inmate died of excited delirium, manner 'undetermined'

Lehigh coroner says man died of 'excited delirium' associated with seizure in February.

August 01, 2013|By Manuel Gamiz Jr., Of The Morning Call

The Lehigh County coroner recently signed the death certificate of a 39-year-old prison inmate who died in February, ruling his death as undetermined.

Alphie R. Herrera Sr. died Feb. 28 after having an apparent seizure and struggling with prison personnel who were trying to help him, Lehigh County Prison officials have said.

Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said an autopsy could not determine his manner of death, but the cause was ruled to be "excited delirium associated with seizure disorder during physical restraint."

Grim said the undetermined ruling means that the autopsy couldn't say for sure the actual manner of death. The manner of death is typically one of four categories — natural, accident, suicide or homicide. Grim said he reviewed the case and spoke to the family before signing the death certificate July 16.

Grim said he is not sure if the district attorney's office is continuing the investigation, but his office is done with the case. The district attorney did not return a call for comment.

Ed Sweeney, the director of corrections, said an internal investigation found no administrative action was warranted against anyone in the prison.

Herrera had been in the prison since Jan. 8, when he was accused of resisting arrest, retail theft and violating the terms of his probation, authorities said. Prison officials said Herrera appeared to be having a seizure Feb. 27, but he became combative with people trying to help him.

At 6:15 p.m. that night, uniformed prison personnel placed him in a restraint chair and he was taken to the medical department for evaluation, authorities said. At 6:50 p.m., paramedics took him to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where he was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. the next day.

His family has said Herrera suffered from epilepsy. They did not wish to comment Thursday.

Family and friends of Herrera joined a protest July 14, shouting "Justice for Alphie! Justice for all!" His loved ones held another rally outside the prison Sunday.

Earlier this year, relatives of another Lehigh County Prison inmate who died while being restrained filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county and prison. David A. Campbell, 25, died Oct. 29, 2011.

Prison officials said Campbell died after a struggle with corrections officers who were trying to put him in a suicide-watch cell because he was exhibiting bizarre behavior, and maintained they followed "industry standard" procedures in handling Campbell.

The lawsuit, however, claimed guards caused "grave injuries" to Campbell when they allegedly restrained him, pepper sprayed him, stripped him naked and strapped him to a restraint chair.

Like Herrera, Campbell's death was ruled undetermined. The cause of his death was also listed as excited delirium, "complicating Sickle Cell trait, dehydration and abnormalities of the cardiac conduction system during restraint," according to the autopsy report.

Excited delirium is a brain disorder that causes bizarre and aggressive behavior, shouting, paranoia, panic, violence toward other people, unexpected physical strength and hyperthermia, according to exciteddelirium.org, a team of doctors with the University of Miami. The disorder is usually drug-related, but can occur in non-drug users as well, the group says on the site.